Notarized by Cristy

One Word Closer to a Kinder World

— by

Cristy Dauphinet

If you could permanently ban a word from general usage, which one would it be? Why?

In the heart of every conversation, every comment section, and every debate, lies the power of words. Words that have the power to uplift but also the power to tear down. If I could wave a magic notary seal and banish one word from our collective vocabulary, it would be ‘hate.’

The Power of Words

In Louisiana, we’re known for our spicy gumbo and warm hospitality, but even we aren’t immune to the bitterness that ‘hate’ brings to the table. It’s a word that, all too often, finds its way into our daily dialogues, shaping our perceptions and actions in ways we might not even realize.

A Call for Change

What if we replaced ‘hate’ with ‘understand’ or ‘compassion’? Imagine the bridges we could build, the friendships we could foster, and the communities we could heal. It’s about more than just banning a word; it’s about transforming our mindset.

Engagement and Reflection

I invite you to join me in this thought experiment. What word would you eliminate? How do you think it would change your world, our state, our society? Share your thoughts and let’s start a conversation that matters.

As we navigate the vibrant streets of New Orleans or the peaceful bayous that cradle our homes, let’s remember the power we hold in our words. Let’s choose them wisely, spreading love and understanding in every syllable.

#SpreadLove #NoMoreHate #ChangeTheNarrative #KindnessMatters #LouisianaLove #PositiveTalk

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Responses

  1. The WheatandTares Avatar
    The WheatandTares

    But without the word “hate,” then, what would be the opposite of “love”?

    Reply
    1. Cristy Dauphinet Avatar
      Cristy Dauphinet

      Hey! Love that you brought this up. It’s kinda like asking, ‘If there’s no night, what’s day, right?’ If we ditch the word ‘hate,’ it makes us wonder what’s on the other side of ‘love.’

      Think of it this way: instead of jumping straight to ‘hate’ as the opposite, what if we talked about not caring at all? Like, if loving is about really being there for someone, maybe not giving a hoot could be the real opposite. It’s all about caring vs. ‘meh, whatever.’

      This idea opens up a whole new way to chat about how we feel without just flipping the love/hate switch. Maybe it’s about the stuff in the middle, like when you’re not all in but not totally out either.

      What’s your take? Can ‘not caring’ stand in for the opposite of love, or is there another way you’d put it? Let’s break it down and keep the convo rolling!”

      Reply
      1. The WheatandTares Avatar
        The WheatandTares

        Personally, I don’t think not caring and caring can be the true synonyms for love and hate because the definitions of love and hate go way deeper than this. Care and not care are feelings that don’t necessarily have have to have any love or hate within them.
        That might almost sound like a tongue and cheek response, but bare with me here. Care and not caring can run too close to the middle ground of apathy, not having a feeling either way. But when you truly love or hate something, there’s a deep commitment to it, regardless of your feelings, or at least there should be. However, I believe that’s exactly where we are in our modern society. There’s so much seeking for a middle ground on everything that we’ve lost the beauty of commitment to anything.
        We live in a day when no one can call out a “spade for a spade,” if you will. We’ve shaded everything with so much gray that I’m not sure we know where the lines of black and white truly lie anymore. And when there’s so much gray matter, there’s no absolutes, no standards, and no ability to say one thing is right and one thing is wrong. It all becomes relative to one’s own feelings and opinions, or worse, it becomes relegated to who shouts the loudest…

      2. Cristy Dauphinet Avatar
        Cristy Dauphinet

        I love that you’ve really given us something to chew on here, and I appreciate your deep dive into the heart of the matter! 🙌 You’re spot on saying that love and hate are more than just caring or not caring. They’re about passion, intensity, and, yeah, commitment.

        You’ve absolutely got a point about how these feelings go way beyond the surface. Love and hate aren’t just about what we feel on a whim; they’re about what we’re willing to stand up for, fight for, or even lay down for. And that’s real talk.

        It’s also super interesting to think about how our society searches for that middle ground, maybe a bit too much. Like, are we all just playing it safe, afraid to take a stand?

        But here’s a thought: maybe it’s not just about finding those black and white lines but about understanding why we all see so many shades of gray. Is it because we’re more aware of each other’s views, or because we’re kinda scared to pick a side?

        I hear you on the ‘shouting the loudest’ part. It feels like, sometimes, the volume of how we say things gets more attention than what we’re actually saying. But what if we tried understanding the why behind someone’s shout? Maybe we’d find a bit of that commitment you’re talking about, hidden under all the noise.

        Let’s keep this convo rolling. How do you think we can encourage more genuine commitment in our feelings and beliefs, without losing respect for the different shades of gray? Drop your thoughts below. 🎤💬

      3. The WheatandTares Avatar
        The WheatandTares

        I like that you keep pulling me back for convo. Lol. But this truly is an interesting topic. It’s be nice to “read” what your other followers would have to say. But I’ll conclude my part with this…
        Honestly, I think there’s become so much “let’s understand this” in our modern culture that we’ve fallen too short of the “this is where (I/we) stand” mentality. There’s an old saying that says, “Stand for something, or you’ll fall for anything.” (My paraphrase) It’s a quote that most definitely has been overused, but the truth in its validity cannot be denied. However, notice that a simple google check will prove this statement has been relegated to an old fashioned, too strict, out of date mantra…
        To prove this point, look no further than the conversations in our modern society, both on the small scale and the large. It doesn’t matter if we’re talking about how we should approach a relationship or how to approach a national crisis or standard. (Refer back to my previous comments of coloring in the gray)
        We don’t want to give any black or white lines because we want to be so “understanding” of all the gray. However, do we not realize to even have the gray, we have to start with a black and white? There is no gray without black and white. And truthfully, even with the demand of the gray, if you get someone to talk long enough about it, they actually end up on a white or black line while claiming you (the person they’re talking to) must come onto their line rather of black or white rather than actually remaining in an “understanding state” of mind…

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